Compressor regulator



March 27, 1951 IW. w. PAG ET COMPRESSOR REGULATOR Filed Oct. 20, 1945 Il u 2 Sheets-Sheet l l \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\Il wemfor:

March 27, 1951 w, w, PAGE-|- 2,546,612

COMPRESSOR REGULATOR Filed Oct. 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @9.5 8 24 may.

ance with pressures in a receiver to which uid is supplied by a compressor driven by the engine. The internal combustion engine, generally designated I, has a throttle valve 2 which is regulated by my improved regulating mechanism, generally designated 3. The power shaft of the engine is connected by means, not shown, to a compressor, one piston 5 of which is shown as being reciprocable in a bore 6 of a compressor` cylinder 1. The compressor, as indicated by portions of cylinder head members 3, 8 in Fig. 6, is provided with two cylinders, but it will be understood that a compressor having a diierent number of cylinders may be used if desired. Fluid is admitted through an intake passage 9 and past an inlet valve I0 to the cylinder bore 6 where it is compressed and then discharged past a discharge valve I2 to a passage I3 which is connected by suitable connections, not shown, to a receiver I4, shown in Fig. 6. The cylinder head member 8 is provided with a chamber I6 which receives a piston I8 acting against a plate member I9. Rods are connected to the plate member I9 and extend through openings in the cylinder head to engage the inlet valve I0 for unseating the latter and effecting an unloading of the compressor when the piston I8 is subjected to pressure fluid. The piston I8 is normally held in its raised position by a spring 22 and is adapted to be forced to its lower position against the action l.,

of spring 22 by pressure uid supplied to the chamber I6 through a conduit 24.

My improved regulating mechanism 3 is adapted to be connected to the side of the engine I by any suitable means and comprises a cylindrical shaped member 26 having a bore 21 which reciprocably receives a piston 26. Received in a space 30 at the head end of the cylinder member is a bellows device 3| acting against the piston 28 and operating to move the piston against the action of a spring 32 when pressure fluid is supplied thereto. Connected to the piston is a piston rod 33 extending throughan opening in a plate member 35 which is adjustably connected, as by bolts 36, to a flange portion 31 on the cylinder member and has a portion 38 acting as an abutment for the spring 32. Extending through a diametrical slot 49 in the piston rod is a control member 4I which is pivotally connected at 42 to the piston rod and is connected at its upper end to a rod 44 which is connected to an arm 45 adapted to operate the throttle valve 2.

A-member 46 having leg portions 41, 41, as shown in Fig. 3, is so arranged that the leg portions lie on opposite sides of the control member 4|.and permit the piston rod to move longitudinally between them. Flange portions 48 formed on the ends of the leg portions are connected, as by screws 49, to the cylinder member 26 for holding the member 46 in place. An outer body portion 5I of the member 46 is provided with bores v52 and 53 extending in axial alinement with the piston rod and connected in communication with each other by a port 54. A ball valve 55 is received in the bore 53 and is yieldingly urged by a` spring 56 into engagement with a seat surrounding the port 54 for cutting oli communication between the bores. A plug 58 threaded into the outer end of the bore 53 provides an adjustable abutment for the spring 56, and a lpassage 59 extending axially through the plug conducts uid from a conduit 60 to the bore 53. Threaded into the bore 52 is a valve cage 62 having an axial bore 63 in which an 4 elongated valve member 64 is reciprocably received. The outer end of the valve member 64 is adapted to be engaged by the piston rod 33 as the latter is moved to the right in Fig. 2, and a stern 65 formed on the valve member operates to unseat the ball valve 55 when the valve member is moved by the piston rod. Surrounding a portion of the valve member is a chamber 61 connected by ports 68 and 69 in communication with the atmosphere and connected by a port 10, through which the stem 65 extends, with the inner end of the bore 52. The valve member 64 is adapted to engage a seat surrounding the port 1E) when it is moved to a position unseating the ball valve 55 and cut of! communication between the inner end of the bore 52 andthe chamber 61 through the port 1U.

Formed on the member 46 is a boss portion 12 having a bore 13 reciprocably receiving a piston 14'. A piston rod 15 formed on the piston 14 extends through a member 16 threaded into the bore 12 and is pivotally connected at 11 to the control member 4I at a point below the pivot point 42. A'spring 18 acts between the member 16 and the piston 14 for urging the latter toward the inner end of the bore 13. A screw 8D threaded through an opening in the boss portion 12 into the bore 13 acts as an adjustable abutment for the piston 14. A cap 8| threaded on the outer end portion of the screw acts as a guard for the latter. Formed in the member 46, as shown in Fig. 4, is a passage 82 which connects the bores 52 and 13 in communication with each other and which is connected, Figs. 4 and 6, by a conduit 84 and the conduits 24 in communication with the cylinder head members 8, 8 for conducting fluid relative to the compressor unloading devices. Connected into the conduit 84 is a device 86 of a standard make operating to permit a free flow of fluid toward the unloading devices and to restrict the ow of uid in the opposite direction. The conduit 6D is connected to the receiver I4 for supplying pressure fluid to the bore 53, and the bellows device 3I has pressure fluid supplied continuously thereto by a conduit 88 leading from the receiver and opening through a cover plate 89 into the bellows device. t

Pressure fluid supplied to the bellows device 3| operates to expand the latter and move the piston 28 when the pressure reaches a value sufficient to overcome the spring 32. The tension of the spring may be varied by adjusting the plate member 35 providing an abutment for the spring. As the piston is moved by the Ibellows device, the control member 4I swings about the pivot connection 11 and moves the rod 44 in a direction to eiect a closing movement of the throttle valve 2. Continued movement of thepiston results in an engagement of the piston rod 33 with the valve member 64 which holds the piston against further movement by the bellows device 3| until the pressure increases to a value sufficient to move the valve member and unseat the ball valve 55 against the action of the receiver pressure and the force of the spring 56. The speed of the engine remains constant while the valve member 64 prevents movement of the control member by the piston. When the pressure reaches the value necessary for unseating the ball valve, the valve member 64 moves to a position unseating the ball valve and cutting off communication between the bore 52 and the atmosphere through port 10. Pressure uid then flows past the ball valve to the bore 52 where it enters the passage 82 and is conducted to thebore 13 and the conduit 84 leadamonio When the ball valve is unseated, the force act mg to 'seat this valve is only that of the spring 56.- The receiver pressure supplied to the bore 52' acts, however, on the valve member El! over an area equal Vto that of the port is and tends to force the Valve member' outwardly. The area of the port le issomewhat less than that of the port d so that thetotal force acting on the valve member is 'Substantially leSS When the ball Valve is 'unseated than when it is seated. The pressure must then drop a substantial amount bef-'ore the piston 28 is moved against the action of the bellows device 3l. As soon as this pressure drop takes place, the valve member 6d moves outwardly venting uid from the unloading devices and the piston 'lf3 through the ports 68 and 59' vand permit'- t'ing the ball valve' 55 to seat and cutoff the flow of fluid to the bore 52. |The spring 'i8 acting on the piston "i4 then causes the latter to movein a direction to swing the control member di about the vpivot point 42 and open the throttle valve to increase the 'speed of the engine. lThe venting of fluid from the unloading devices is delayed, however, by the device 8e so that reloading of the compressor does not take place until its speed has been increased.

j In the form of the invention shownl in Fig. '7, the engine l is provided with two throttle valves 911 'and 9i, the valve 90 being regulated by a speed governor 82 and having an operating arm 93 which is connected by a spring Q4 to the upper enarof the control member el. The regulating mechanism 3 is like that of the first form of the invention except that the fluid actuated means connected to the lower end 'of the control n iembe'i` in the inst form is oinittedand lugs es l'formed on the leg portions 41 provide instead a stationary pivot point 96 'for the lower end Yof the cone trol member. Connected'in the conduit 84 is 'a dea vice 98 which controls the flow of huid relative to the unloading kdevices in the same manneras the device B6 and also provides 'a' connection for a conduit 99 leading to a iiuid actuated device 10e. A rod |62 connects an operating arm 93 for the valve 9i to an arm 4IEM operatively connected to the Afluid actuated device inn in a manner Yto swing in a direction to close the valve 'Si and eirect an operation ot the engine 'at an idling speed 'when pressure 'fluid is supplied to the de vice Ull. The connection provided by 'the device 98 for the conduit $19 is such that fluid may il'ovv 'freely 'in both directions between 'the conduits z8f3 and 99. A manda-ily 'Operated level' 'H05 ifs pr()- vided for regulating the valve 9 l and may be held in any desired position by a nut |01. The device loo is shown herein as having a protecting portion |08 supporting an adjustable abutment member |59 for the control member 1H.

In this form of the invention the controlv lever ai swings about the pivot point es in a clockwise direction as the 'receiver pressure increases thll'gl'l a predetermined lig' `tfld I'edlles the t'fln on the spring 94, thereby permitting 2liA 6 speed governor to operate and reduce the speed of the engine. When the ball valve of the regulating mechanism is unseated pressure fluid flows to the conduit 84 and passes immediately to the unloading devices for unloading the compresser and to the device IDU for actuating the valve 9i to slow down the engine to an idling.

speed. When the receiver pressure drops and the regulating mechanism operates to vent the conduit gli, fluid flows freely from the device |09 so that the latter operates to open the valve 9! and speed up the engine, but the flow from the unloading devices is restricted so that the compressor is brought up to speed before reloading takes place.

As a result of my invention an improved mechanism is provided for controlling the loading of a compressor and its speed of operation.

While there are in this application specifically described two forms which the invention may asis'ume in practice, it will be understood that these forms of the same are shown for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modi ned and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A regulating mechanism for an engine driven compressor comprising, in combination, a control member, means operatively connecting said control member to a fuel regulating means for the engine, a pair of pressure responsive devices connected -to said control 'member and each operative by pressure fluid supplied thereto to move said control member about its lconnection with the other in a direction to eiect a reduction of fuel supply to the engine, means for subjecting continuously one of said pressure responsive devices to the pressures in a receiver connected to the compressor, and means for controlling the pressure acting on the other of said pressure responsive devices including a valve member movable by said one of said pressure responsive devices for controlling and a passage for operating fluid for the other of said pressure responsive devices extending between the latter and said valve member.

2. A regulating mechanism for an engine driven compressor comprising, in combination, a control member, means operatively connecting said control member to a `fuel regulating means for the engine, a pair of pressure responsive devices connected to said control member and each operative by pressure huid supplied thereto to move said control member about its connection with the other in a direction to effect a reduction of fuel supply to the engine, means for subjecting continuously one of said pressure responsive devices to the pressures in 'a receiver connected to the compressor, means Vfor supplying pressure fluid from said receiver to the other of said pressure responsive devices, and means including a valve member adapted to be actuated by said 'one of said pressure responsive devices for controlling the flow of iuid in said fluid vSupply means, said valve member movable to a position permitting fluid flow to the other of said pressure responsive devices as said control member is moved to a predetermined position by said one of said pressure devices.

3. A regulating mechanism for an engine driven compressor having fluid actuated unloading means comprising, in combination, a control member, `lmeans operatively connecting said control member to a fuel regulating means for the engine, a pair of pressure responsive devices pivotally connected to said control member at points spaced longitudinally thereof dierent distances from said connecting means and each operative by pressure fluid supplied thereto to swing said control member about its pivotal connection to the other in a direction to effect a reduction of fuel supply to the engine, means for supplying pressure fluid continuously to one of said pressure responsive devices from a receiver connected to the compressor, and means for controlling the pressure acting on the other of said pressure responsive devices and the unloading means including a valve member actuated by said one of said pressure responsive devices and passage means for pressure fluid extending between said valve member and each of said other of said pressure responsive devices and said unloading means.

4. A regulating mechanism for an engine driven compressor comprising, in combination, a control member, means operatively connecting said control member to a fuel regulating means for the engine, a pair of pressure responsive devices operatively connected to said control member and each operative by pressure fluid supplied thereto to move said control member about its operative connection with the other in a direction to effect a reduction of fuel supply to the engine, means for subjecting continuously one of said pressure responsive devices to the pressures in a receiver connected to the compressor discharge, means for controlling the pressure acting on the other of said pressure responsive devices including a valve member movable by said one of said pressure responsive devices after predetermined movement of said control member and a passage for operating fluid for the other of said pressure responsive devices extending between the latter and said valve member, means for subjecting said valve member to a pressure opposing its movement by said one of said pressure responsive devices, and means for subjecting said valve member to a lesser opposing pressure after movement by said one of said pressure responsive devices.

5. A regulator for an internal combustion engine driven compressor of Which the engine has associated therewith means for regulating the fuel supply and the compressor has fluid actuated unloading means, comprising, in combination, a pivoted control member, means operatively connecting said control member to the means for regulating the fuel supply of the engine, a pressure responsive device operatively connected to said control member and operable by pressure fluid supplied thereto to actuate said pivoted control member to effect a reduction in fuel supply to the engine, means for continuously supplying uid discharged by the compressor to said pressure responsive device, and valve means controlled by said pressure responsive device and arranged in line with the axis of the latter for controlling the flow of actuating iluid between itself and the compressor unloading means.

6. A regulator for an internal combustion engine driven compressor of which the engine has associated therewith means for regulating the fuel supply and the compressor has fluid actuated unloading means, comprising, in combination, a pivoted control member, means operatively `connecting said control member to the means for regullating the fuel supply of the engine, a pressure responsive device operatively connected to said control member and operable by pressure fluid supplied thereto to actuate said pivoted control member to effect a reduction in fuel supply to the engine, means for continuously supplying fiuid discharged by the compressor to said pressure responsive device, and valve means controlled by said pressure responsive device and seating in a direction towards the latter for controlling the flow of actuating fluid to the compressor unloading means.

7. A regulator for an internal combustion engine driven compressor of which the engine has associated therewith means for regulating the fuel supply and the compressor has iiuid actuated unloading means, comprising, in combination, a pivoted control member, means operatively connecting said control member to the means for regulating the fuel supply of the engine, a. pressure responsive device operatively connected to said control member and operable by pressure fluid supplied thereto to actuate said pivoted control member to effect a reduction in fuel supply to the engine, means for continuously supplying fluid discharged by the compressor to said pressure responsive device, and valves controlled by said pressure responsive device and arranged in line with the axis of the latter and respectively controlling the flow of actuating fluid to and the venting of iiuid from the compressor unloading means. v

8. A regulator for an internal combustio engine driven compressor of which the engine has associated therewith means for regulating the fuel supply and the compressor has fluid actuated unloading means, comprising, in combination, a pivoted control member, means operatively connecting said control member to the means for regulating the fuel supply of the engine, a pressure responsive device for moving said control member and operable by pressure fluid supplied thereto to actuate said pivoted control member to effect a progressive reduction in fuel supply to the engine, means for continu-` ously supplying fluid discharged by the compressor to said pressure responsive device, a second pressure responsive device for moving said control member and operable by pressure fluid supplied thereto further to actuate said pivoted control member to effect a reduction in fuel supply to the engine to cause operation of the latter at an idling speed, and valve means controlled by said first pressure responsive device and arranged in line with the axis of the latter for controlling the flow of fluid between itself and said second pressure responsive device. v

9. A regulator for an internal combustion engine driven compressor of which the engine has associated therewith means for regulating the fuel supply and the compressor has fluid actuated unloading means, comprising, in combinatiomal pivoted control member, means operatively connecting said control member to the means for regulating the fuel supply of the engine, a pressure responsive device for moving said control member and operable by pressure fluid supplied thereto to actuate said pivoted control member to effect a progressive reduction in fuel supply to the engine, means for continuously supplying fluid discharged by the compressor to said pressure responsive device, a second pressure responsive device for moving said control member and operable by pressure iiuid supplied thereto further to actuate said pivoted control member to effect a reduction in fuel supply to the engine to cause operation of the latter at an idling speed,

and valve means lcontrolled by said ilrst pressure responsive device and arranged in line with the axis of the latter for controlling the ilow of iluid between itself and each of said second pressure responsive device and said fluid actuated unloading means.

10. A regulator for an internal combustion engine driven compressor of which the engine has associated therewith means for regulating the fuel supply and the compressor has fluid actuated unloading means, comprising, in combination, a pivoted control member, means operatively connecting said control member to the means for regulating the fuel supply of the engine, a |pressure responsive device for moving said control l member and operable by pressure lluid supplied thereto to actuate said pivoted control member to effect a progressive reduction in fuel supply to the engine, means for continuously supplying fluid discharged lby the compressor to said pressure responsive device, a second pressure responsive device for moving said control member and operable by pressure fluid supplied thereto further to actuate said pivoted control member to eiect a reduction in fuel supply to the engine to cause operation of the latter at an idling speed, and valve means controlled by said lrst pressure responsive device and having an operating plunger coaxial with the latter for controlling llow of fluid between itself and said second pressure responsive device.

11. A regulator for an internal combustion engine driven compressor of which the engine has associated therewith means for regulating the fuel supply and the compressor has iluid actuated unloading means, comprising, in combination, a

pivoted control member, means operatively connecting said control member to the means for regulating the fuel supply of the engine, a pressure responsive device for moving said control member and operable by pressure fluid supplied thereto to actuate said pivoted control member to effect a progressive reduction in fuel supply to the engine, means for continuously supplying fluid discharged by the compressor to said pressure responsive device, a second pressure responsive device for moving said control member and operable by pressure fluid supplied thereto further to actuate said pivoted control member to eiect a reduction in fuel supply to the engine to cause operation of the latter at an idling speed, and valve means controlled by said rst pressure responsive device and having an operating plunger coaxial with the latter for controlling ilow of fluid between itself and each of said second pressure responsive device and said fluid actuated unloading means.

12. A regulator for an internal combustion engine driven compressor of which the engine has associated therewith means for regulating the fuel supply and the compressor has fluid actuated unloading means, comprising, in combination, a pivoted control member, means operatively connecting said control member to the means for regulating the fuel supply of the engine, a pressure responsive device for moving said control member and operable by pressure 1luid supplied thereto to actuate said pivoted control member to eifect a progressive reduction in fuel supply to the engine, means for continuously supplying fluid discharged by the compressor to said pressure responsive device, a second pressure responsive device for moving said control member and operable by pressure fluid supplied thereto further to actuate said pivoted control member to effect a reduction in fuel supply to the engine to cause operation of the latter at an idling speed, and valve means controlled by said llrst pressure responsive device and including a ball valve for controlling the supply of lluid to said second pressure responsive device and a plunger for actuating said ball valve `and controlling the venting of fluid from said second pressure responsive device.

WIN W. PAGET.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in thev 

